Czech Lovochemie site ‘safe’ despite flood barrier breach

LONDON (ICIS)--Flood waters have breached an anti-flood barrier at the Lovochemie fertilizer plant in the Czech Republic, the company said on Wednesday.

However, dangerous substances had already been moved from the Lovochemie site, situated in Lovosice, next to the River Labe in the north of the Czech Republic, on Sunday, it added.

All production was also shut down on that day, the company said.

“There is no threat at all of a dangerous chemical leakage from the Lovochemie premises,” said Karel Hanzelka, spokesman for the Agrofert group, which owns Lovochemie, the Czech Republic’s largest industrial fertilizer maker.

Production at Lovochemie should be restored within 10 to 15 days, Lovochemie said.

The ongoing flooding that has ravaged central Europe and Germany has killed at least 15 people, including seven in the Czech Republic.